Ski Insurance And Speed Cameras On Pistes Do We Need Either

I t was inevitable wasn't          number of helicopter rescues also  it? The introduction of         increased - to the tune of         speed cameras on ski            hundreds in just one month.        slopes.                                                                                                        So, the Swiss have had enough and  Is it the thoughtlessness of a        are putting speed cameras on the   handful of daredevil speed demons     slopes. Ski personnel will catch   that have messed up the fun for       the speeders with hand-held radar  the rest of us? Or is this health     gadgets. Those who are caught are  and safety gone crazy again? Have     given a warning first, and then    we as a human race become so          could face a fine or confiscation  irresponsible that we need the        of their ski pass. The cameras     Nanny State to protect us from        are in operation at Andermatt and  ourselves even when we're out         will also be in operation at       trying to spend our hard-earned       other major resorts like Davos,    cash on holiday and having a          St. Moritz and Zermatt. Some may   little fun?                           applaud Switzerland for taking a                                         stand - but will this new trend    Well, sadly the statistics are        catch on in ski resorts            not good. With the high number of     throughout the world?              accidents, injuries and deaths at                                        ski resorts throughout the world      In a perfect world, we'd all be    every year, it does seem that         at liberty to hurl ourselves down  something has to be done. The         the slopes and not have to worry   number of skiing accidents has        about anyone else. We'd never get  noticeably increased in               hurt or killed or injure another   Switzerland alone, with accidents     innocent person. It is because we  in the tens of thousands last         don't have this ability that       year, many of which were fatal or     anyone who sets off on a ski trip  caused serious injuries. The          without taking out travel          insurance and winter sports           control - even if they are         coverage should have their head       breaking the law! The problem is   tested. If you're not aware of        often other people on the roads    the potential astronomical            (or pistes). If you come up        medical expenses associated with      behind someone going slow on the   helicopter rescues, serious           road (or piste) and want to        injuries and broken limbs             overtake them it is always         (especially in North America)         potentially hazardous. You just    then it's time for a wake up          can't know what the other person   call!                                 is going to do. You also don't                                           know if another car is going to    The beautifully groomed pistes        pull out of an unseen side road    may be partly to blame. It's hard     (or out of the trees), or a deer   to resist pointing the board or       (or snow machine) will suddenly    tips down the hill and just going     appear in front of you.            for it. But on crowded slopes it                                         just isn't smart. There's no          The drink driving laws have just   question that skiing and              about taken all the drunks off     snowboarding and other winter         our roads, but on the slopes you   sport activities can be very          are still likely to come across    dangerous. If you've ever had a       someone who's partaken of a bit    run in with a tree, or another        too much Gluhwein during their     skier and survived it you will        lunch stop. No one stops them      already know what a painful           strapping on the skis or board     impact it can be.                     and potentially endangering the                                          lives of others. Then there are    Just as on the roads, we can't        the novices skiing out of control  always blame the people driving       on slopes beyond their abilities.  at high speeds. It is possible        Skiing in flat light can also be   they are totally competent and in     dangerous, no matter how           experienced you are. You can't        sides of the ski runs that we      see all the bumps and dips in the     have to obey, as on the roads?     terrain - or the icy spots - and                                         if you hit them at great speed        Speed is not the only danger when  you may find yourself heading for     out skiing. This ski season        a tree or another skier, and          twenty-six people have been        there's nothing you can do to         killed by avalanches in Europe in  stop that impact from happening.      less than one month! The average   It could be expensive at best.        annual number of people killed in                                        avalanches in the U.S. is around   Tests using dummies have been         twenty-five, but often much        carried out (like the ones they       higher. Other weather-related      do with cars). It was shown that      hazards cannot be ignored, such    speeds above 19 mph (30km/h) are      as blizzards and sudden changes    unsafe. Speeds much above that        in the weather and conditions.     figure are highly likely to cause                                        fatalities if something goes          Who would have thought we'd see    wrong.                                the day they put speed cameras on                                        ski slopes. What's next? Ski       So will speed cameras on slopes       insurance and winter sports        be a trend that is likely to          coverage is not mandatory, but     spread throughout the world at        perhaps it should be…              all ski resorts? For many it will                                        take all the fun, excitement and                                         thrill out of it. Will                 border-right: #BAC9FF 1px solid;      10px;" valign="top"                margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom:       align="center">                    About the Author: Jean Andrews is a freelance writer living in the UK. She regularly contributes articles for TIA Ltd who offer great deals on ski insurance Published At: www.Isnare.com